Low Temperature Shape Memory Thermosetting Epoxy, Film Material and Producing Method Thereof

ABSTRACT

A low temperature shape memory thermosetting epoxy has a epoxy, a curing agent, a modifying material and a functional material. The curing agent is fatty amine, polyamide and aromatic amino compound. The modifying material is polyester polyol, polyether polyol, aromatic diamine, and silicon compound. The functional material is boron trifleoride, terminal carboxyl group, calcium carbonate, pigment, and mixture thereof. Thus, the present invention provides an epoxy that is deformable and is shape memorable under room temperature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention is related to a thermosetting material, and is moreparticularly to a shape memory thermosetting epoxy.

2. Description of the Related Art

Epoxy became popular in commercial use in 1950. Epoxy was commonly usedto spray on circuit boards and electronic components because epoxy hasstable material properties. Chemical bonds of epoxy like epoxide groups,amino group and hydroxyl group were linked into a rigid 2-D or 3-Dstructures in curing processes that leads epoxy became more stable andresistible.

First material being known to have shape memory properties is shapememory metal alloy (SMA) been discovered by Chang et al. in 1952. TiNi(Nitinol), CuZnAl and FeNiAl alloys are three major type of SMAs. Thesematerials have been proposed for various uses in aeronautical,electronic and mechanical industry. SMAs were limited to be used onspecific products because of high cost issues. Shape memory polymer(SMP) has been successfully developed and widely used because of lowercosts and easier for production. Polyvinyl methyl ether (PVME),polyvinyl acetate (PVA), 1,4-trans polyisoprene (TPI), polyethylene(PE), polystyrene (PS) and polyurethane (TPU) are some of SMP beingdiscovered. The above mention of SMP still can't widely used in industrybecause of weak intensity and rigidity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the disadvantages and shortcoming of the SMP such asweak intensity and rigidity, the present invention provides a producingmethod of a shape memory thermosetting epoxy including steps of:

mixing a modifying material and a cross-linking agent to form apre-polymer;

mixing epoxy, the pre-polymer and a functional material to form a firstmixed agent;

mixing a curing agent and the major blending agent to form a fluid shapememory thermosetting material; and

molding the fluid shape memory thermosetting material into requiredshape.

Thus, the present invention achieves advantages as below.

1. The present invention is shape memory thermosetting material which isdeformable in certain range of temperature and is shape memorable underroom temperature.

2. The present invention may be shaped as required shape by demand withvery simple method.

3. The present invention is fluid before shaping as required shape andmay be deformed under wide range of temperature by adjusting the contentof the cross-linking agent.

4. The present invention is suitable for various molding process likecompression molding process or injection molding process which is ableto reduce at least 70% of mould costs for producing large product items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a producing process flow chart in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of producing method ofshape memory thermosetting epoxy in accordance with the presentinvention has steps of:

STEP 1. mixing a modifying material and a cross-linking agent for about2˜4 hours to form a pre-polymer. The modifying material may be polyesterpolyol, polyether polyol, aromatic diamine or silicone compounds. Thecross-linking agent may be a polyamine cross-linking agent.

Producing the pre-polymer may have steps comprising of (1) stirring themodifying material in a reaction flask in low speed by a blender; (2)heating to a certain temperature (e.g. 80° C.+/−); and (3) adding thecross-linking agent slowly and stirring continually to form thepre-polymer. Stirring time thereof may be 2˜4 hours.

STEP 2: mixing epoxy, the pre-polymer and a functional materialuniformly to form a major blending agent. Mixing time thereof may be butnot limited to 3˜7 minutes. The functional material may be but notlimited to boron trifleoride, terminal carboxyl group, calciumcarbonate, unsaturated polyester, phenolic resin, pigment, polyamine,antifoaming agent, surfactant or phenyl solvent. The phenolic resin isselected from a group consisted of bisphenol-A phenolic resin, novolacresin, methylphenyl novolac resin, bisphenol-A novolac resin, phenolaralkyl resin, dicyclopentadiene phenolic novolac resin, amino triazinephenolic novolac resin, polybutadiene phenolic novolac resin, biphenyltype resin and mixture thereof.

The major blending agent may be prepared by blending the epoxy with thepre-polymer and the functional material in a container for few minutessuch like 5˜10 mins by a blender with 1000 RPM+/−10% to form the majorblending agent.

STEP 3. mixing a curing agent and the major blending agent to form afluid shape memory thermosetting material. The curing agent may be fattyamine, polyamide or aromatic amino compound.

STEP 4. molding the fluid shape memory thermosetting material intorequired shape. The fluid shape memory thermosetting material can bemolded by an infusion process, a spray process, a blade coating process,a hot-pressing process and a resin transfer molding process.

In a preferred embodiment, the fluid shape memory thermosetting materialconsists in the major blending agent for 30 wt %˜95 wt %, the modifyingmaterial for 2 wt %˜50 wt % and the functional material for 0.1 wt %˜10wt %. The fluid shape memory thermosetting material is able to bereshaped as a required shape under a temperature range around 80°C.˜160° C.

Shape memory ability mechanism of the present invention may be stated asfollowings. The cross-linking agent and the curing agent arerespectively selected to have different reaction rates with the majorblending agent. The cross-linking agent is first added to activate across-link reaction with the major blending agent. The cross-linkreaction may be a substitution reaction with side-chains to the majorblending agent. The curing agent acts like an inhibitor being added toterminate the cross-link reaction. Because molecular weight of thecuring agent is smaller than the cross-linking agent, the curing agenthas faster reaction rate than the cross-linking agent. The majorblending agent then comprises a network structure for shaping asrequired shape at designed temperature range.

Embodiment 1

Step 1. Mixing 20 wt % of the modifying material and 5 wt % of thecross-linking agent for 20 minutes to form the pre-polymer;

Step 2. mixing 50 wt % of the major blending agent, 0.5 wt % ofantifoaming agent, 0.5 wt % of surfactant and the pre-polymer for 5˜10minutes;

Step 3. mixing 30 wt % of the curing agent and the major blending agentthen stirring continually for 3 minutes to form the fluid shape memorythermosetting material;

Step 4. pouring the fluid shape memory thermosetting material into amould and a shape memory thermosetting epoxy is formed after curing.

The present invent also provide an automatic shape memory film which isable to be mounted smoothly on skin surface of human's body. Theautomatic shape memory film is able to attach with other material andhas centimeter to millimeter of thickness.

According to the above mentioned, the invention has advantages listed asbelow:

1. The present invention is shape memory thermosetting material which isdeformable in certain range of temperature and is shape memorable underroom temperature.

2. The present invention may be reshaped by demand.

3. The present invention is fluid before shaping as required shape andmay be deformed under wild range of temperature by adjusting the contentof the cross-linking agent.

4. The present invention is suitable for various molding process likehot-pressing process or injection molding process which is able toreduce at least 70% of mould costs for producing large product items.

What is claimed is:
 1. A producing method of a shape memorythermosetting epoxy having steps of: mixing a modifying material and across-linking agent to form a pre-polymer; mixing epoxy, the pre-polymerand a functional material to form a major blending agent; mixing acuring agent with the major blending agent to form a fluid shape memorythermosetting material; molding the fluid shape memory thermosettingmaterial as a required shape; wherein the cross-linking agent is firstadded to activate a cross-link reaction with the major blending agent;and the curing agent then added to terminate the cross-link reaction. 2.The producing method of shape memory thermosetting epoxy as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the fluid shape memory thermosetting material isprocessed by an infusion process, a spray process, a blade coatingprocess, a hot-pressing process and a resin transfer molding process toform the required shape.
 3. The producing method of shape memorythermosetting epoxy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modifyingmaterial is polyester polyol, polyether polyol, aromatic diamine orsilicone compounds; and the cross-linking agent is a polyaminecross-linking agent.
 4. The producing method of shape memorythermosetting epoxy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the modifyingmaterial is polyester polyol, polyether polyol, aromatic diamine orsilicone compounds; and the cross-linking agent is a polyaminecross-linking agent.
 5. The producing method of shape memorythermosetting epoxy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the functionalmaterial is boron trifleoride, terminal carboxyl group, calciumcarbonate, unsaturated polyester or phenolic resin, pigment, polyamine,antifoaming agent, surfactant or phenyl solvent; the phenolic resin isselected from a group of bisphenol-A phenolic resin, novolac resin,methylphenyl novolac resin, bisphenol-A novolac resin, phenol aralkylresin, dicyclopentadiene phenolic novolac resin, amino triazine phenolicnovolac resin, polybutadiene phenolic novolac resin, biphenyl type resinand mixture thereof; the curing agent is fatty amine, polyamide oraromatic amino compound; the fluid shape memory thermosetting materialconsists in the major blending agent for 30 wt %˜95 wt %, the modifyingmaterial for 2 wt %˜50 wt % and the functional material for 0.1 wt %˜10wt %; and the fluid shape memory thermosetting material is deformable at80° C.˜160° C. and is shape memorable under room temperature.
 6. Theproducing method of shape memory thermosetting epoxy as claimed in claim4, wherein the functional material is boron trifleoride, terminalcarboxyl group, calcium carbonate, unsaturated polyester or phenolicresin, pigment, polyamine, antifoaming agent, surfactant or phenylsolvent; the phenolic resin is selected from a group of bisphenol-Aphenolic resin, novolac resin, methylphenyl novolac resin, bisphenol-Anovolac resin, phenol aralkyl resin, dicyclopentadiene phenolic novolacresin, amino triazine phenolic novolac resin, polybutadiene phenolicnovolac resin, biphenyl type resin and mixture thereof; the curing agentis fatty amine, polyamide or aromatic amino compound; the fluid shapememory thermosetting material consists in the major blending agent for30 wt %˜95 wt %, the modifying material for 2 wt %˜50 wt % and thefunctional material for 0.1 wt %˜10 wt %; and the fluid shape memorythermosetting material is deformable at 80° C.˜160° C. and is shapememorable under room temperature.
 7. A shape memory thermosetting epoxyhaving a modifying material, a polyamine cross-linking agent, epoxy, afunctional material, and a curing agent; wherein the shape memorythermosetting epoxy is deformable at certain range of temperature and isshape memorable under room temperature; the cross-linking agentactivates a cross-link reaction of the shape memory thermosetting epoxy;and the polyamine curing agent acts like an inhibitor then terminatesthe cross-link reaction of the shape memory thermosetting epoxy.
 8. Theshape memory thermosetting epoxy as claimed in claim 7, wherein themodifying material comprises polyester polyol, polyether polyol,aromatic diamine or silicone compounds; the functional materialcomprises boron trifleoride, terminal carboxyl group, calcium carbonate,unsaturated polyester, phenolic resin, pigment, polyamine, antifoamingagent, surfactant or phenyl solvent; the phenolic resin is selected froma group of bisphenol-A phenolic resin, novolac resin, methylphenylnovolac resin, bisphenol-A novolac resin, phenol aralkyl resin,dicyclopentadiene phenolic novolac resin, amino triazine phenolicnovolac resin, polybutadiene phenolic novolac resin, biphenyl type resinand mixture thereof; and the curing agent is fatty amine, polyamide oraromatic amino compound.
 9. The shape memory thermosetting epoxy asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the modifying material and the cross-linkingagent are being mixed to form a pre-polymer; the pre-polymer, the epoxyand the functional material are mixed to form a major blending agent;the major blending agent and the curing agent are mixed to form a fluidshape memory thermosetting material; the fluid shape memorythermosetting material consists in the major blending agent for 30 wt %95 wt %, the modifying material for 2 wt % 50 wt % and the functionalmaterial for 0.1 wt %˜10 wt %; and the fluid shape memory thermosettingmaterial is deformable at 80° C.˜160° C. and is shape memorable underroom temperature.
 10. The shape memory thermosetting epoxy as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the modifying material and the cross-linking agent aremixed to form a pre-polymer; the pre-polymer, the epoxy and thefunctional material are mixed to form a major blending agent; the majorblending agent and the curing agent are mixed to form a fluid shapememory thermosetting material; the fluid shape memory thermosettingmaterial consists in the major blending agent for 30 wt % 95 wt %, themodifying material for 2 wt % 50 wt % and the functional material for0.1 wt %˜10 wt %; and the fluid shape memory thermosetting material isable to shape deform at 80° C.˜160° C.
 11. A film material comprises amodifying material, a polyamine cross-linking agent, epoxy, a functionalmaterial, and a curing agent; wherein the film material is able todeform in certain range of temperature and is shape memorable under roomtemperature; the cross-linking agent activates a cross-link reaction ofthe film material; and the polyamine curing agent acts like an inhibitorthen terminates the cross-link reaction of the film material.
 12. Thefilm material as claimed in claim 11, wherein the modifying material ispolyester polyol, polyether polyol, aromatic diamine or siliconecompounds; the functional material is boron trifleoride, terminalcarboxyl group, calcium carbonate, unsaturated polyester, phenolicresin, pigment, polyamine, antifoaming agent, surfactant or phenylsolvent; the phenolic resin is selected from a group of bisphenol-Aphenolic resin, novolac resin, methylphenyl novolac resin, bisphenol-Anovolac resin, phenol aralkyl resin, dicyclopentadiene phenolic novolacresin, amino triazine phenolic novolac resin, polybutadiene phenolicnovolac resin, biphenyl type resin and mixture thereof; and the curingagent is fatty amine, polyamide or aromatic amino compound.